Protecting Public Services

As an amendment to motion S4M-12034 in the name of Keith Brown (Protecting Public Services), leave out from "including an increase" to end and insert "; notes the recent concern expressed by health professionals regarding pressure on the NHS, particularly accident and emergency services and the lack of sufficient resources to ensure parity between the treatment of physical and mental ill-health; further notes that some NHS boards have still to reach parity through the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee formula and that Aberdeen and Edinburgh City councils are still receiving under the 85% floor for revenue allocations; understands that the Scottish Government will benefit from additional funding of £238 million through to 2015-16 as a result of spending decisions taken by the UK Government in the Autumn Statement 2014; notes that the Scottish Government’s Fiscal Commission Working Group advised it to match the trajectory of UK deficit reduction even beyond the 2015 general election; further notes the Scottish Government’s continuing underspend on day-to-day services, and believes that the best platform to achieve a strong economy and a fair society best able to deliver high quality public services and opportunity for everyone is from an economy anchored in the centre ground, with spending and borrowing balanced to allow continued movement from economic rescue to recovery."